Letters addressed to Hon. JW Stephens from RMJ Wright - Bourland's Border Regiment

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Jul 13, 2019
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Texas
I recently transcribed two letters written by my 3rd-great-grandfather RMJ Wright, addressed to the Hon. JW Stephens. Copies of the original documents were produced by the Texas State Archives, in which I have received, scanned, & transcribed below. It appears RMJ Wright is trying to claim his pension & is running into "red tape". To the best of my knowledge his service was ultimately proven & his pension was approved. However, online searches have yielded little information about Bourland's Border Regiment, known as the Frontier Regiment, or Bourland's Brigade. Well, at least, not enough information to satisfy my curiosity. & None of which sheds Bourland in a very positive light, to be honest. Which is what brings me here, to the experts, in search of further information. As always, I appreciate anything anyone has to add & offer my thanks in advance.

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Cooper Tex July 24th 1905

Hon JW Stephens[,]

Sir yours of the 19th [illegable] at hand & I will answer questions the best I can[.] Our company was organized at Bonham Tex[.] I am not certain but I think that it was Co H[.] I don’t know the number of our Regiment but it was Cavalry[.] Known as the Border Regiment & commanded by Colonel Jim Bourland on the Texas Frontier[.] Mr Finnley[?] Comptroller at the time I made my application said my Troop of [illegable] in the army was all right & wanted to know the cause of my disability[,] but I did not try to get it approved at that time[.] I wanted to make my Troop while I could & then when it was impossible to get along without help try to get it as I need it bad[.] I don’t see how you could have any doubt about my serving in the army when 2 of as good of men as there is in Delta Co swore that I was & was in the same Company.

RM J Wright [.] Cooper Tex Route 1

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Cooper Tex Aug 14th 1905

Honorable JW Stevens[,]

I will write you again the best that I can remember it in regard to my service in the Confederate Army[.] I was first in Co. D of Settles Battalion reorganized at Bonham, Tex & put in Co. H I think it was[.] At any rate J.B. Anderson was Capt. until he was elected Sheriff of Fannin Co. Tex then Capt. George Patterson was in command of the company until the end of the war[.] We belonged to Jim Bourland’s Regiment on the frontier of Texas[.] I don’t think that Regiment was numbered for it was known as the Border Regiment & was stationed at [illegable] at a place on the Frontier & the Regiment never was all together[.] At one time we were stationed at Buffalo Springs[.] Mr Pettyfils was in the same command as I was & his widow has been getting a pension ever since the law went into effect[.] So I know that I am entitled to it too. I don’t know how her application was made whether Co. D of Settles Battalion or Andersons Co Bourlands Regiment[.] She lives in Delta Co you can see for yourself[.]

RM J Wright
Cooper Tex Rt [illegable]





 
Here's the Unit designation for "Bourland's Regiment" aka "Bourland's Border Regiment"
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And a card for a man with last name "Wright" - no first name given - filed in that regiment
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Capt. George Patterson
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Mr Pettyfils was in the same command as I was...
Could the 29th Texas Cavalry have been disbanded in late 1863? And then the members were transferred into the 1st Battalion State Troops? Pettifils doesnt have cards in the 1st Battn, but he does have cards in the 29th TX Cavalry. There are no cards for a RMJ Wright in the 29th TX Cav, but there are cards for a "Robert Wright."
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From the records at Fold 3 regarding Bourland's Border Regiment
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There are other records showing where different companies were - your 3x ggrandfather seems to have been correct when he said they were never all together. Here's an interesting one - the last on file, from Jan 1865.
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I recently transcribed two letters written by my 3rd-great-grandfather RMJ Wright, addressed to the Hon. JW Stephens. Copies of the original documents were produced by the Texas State Archives, in which I have received, scanned, & transcribed below. It appears RMJ Wright is trying to claim his pension & is running into "red tape". To the best of my knowledge his service was ultimately proven & his pension was approved. However, online searches have yielded little information about Bourland's Border Regiment, known as the Frontier Regiment, or Bourland's Brigade. Well, at least, not enough information to satisfy my curiosity. & None of which sheds Bourland in a very positive light, to be honest. Which is what brings me here, to the experts, in search of further information. As always, I appreciate anything anyone has to add & offer my thanks in advance.

Cooper Tex July 24th 1905

Hon JW Stephens[,]

Sir yours of the 19th [illegable] at hand & I will answer questions the best I can[.] Our company was organized at Bonham Tex[.] I am not certain but I think that it was Co H[.] I don’t know the number of our Regiment but it was Cavalry[.] Known as the Border Regiment & commanded by Colonel Jim Bourland on the Texas Frontier[.] Mr Finnley[?] Comptroller at the time I made my application said my Troop of [illegable] in the army was all right & wanted to know the cause of my disability[,] but I did not try to get it approved at that time[.] I wanted to make my Troop while I could & then when it was impossible to get along without help try to get it as I need it bad[.] I don’t see how you could have any doubt about my serving in the army when 2 of as good of men as there is in Delta Co swore that I was & was in the same Company.

RM J Wright [.] Cooper Tex Route 1

Cooper Tex Aug 14th 1905

Honorable JW Stevens[,]

I will write you again the best that I can remember it in regard to my service in the Confederate Army[.] I was first in Co. D of Settles Battalion reorganized at Bonham, Tex & put in Co. H I think it was[.] At any rate J.B. Anderson was Capt. until he was elected Sheriff of Fannin Co. Tex then Capt. George Patterson was in command of the company until the end of the war[.] We belonged to Jim Bourland’s Regiment on the frontier of Texas[.] I don’t think that Regiment was numbered for it was known as the Border Regiment & was stationed at [illegable] at a place on the Frontier & the Regiment never was all together[.] At one time we were stationed at Buffalo Springs[.] Mr Pettyfils was in the same command as I was & his widow has been getting a pension ever since the law went into effect[.] So I know that I am entitled to it too. I don’t know how her application was made whether Co. D of Settles Battalion or Andersons Co Bourlands Regiment[.] She lives in Delta Co you can see for yourself[.]

RM J Wright
Cooper Tex Rt [illegable]







Bourland's Border Regiment, known as the Frontier Regiment, or Bourland's Brigade. (1st TX Infantry Battalion).
 
What does it say on the "Absent enlisted men accounted for:" part? I can make out 'Sent home..cooking utensils..iron blacksmith tools..'
"Sent home to procure clothing, cooking utensils, Iron, blacksmith tools, &c." The "&c" part was used much the same as we would use "etc."
 
Makes perfect sense....his father, Ellis Wright, was a blacksmith & he left his blacksmith tools to RMJ in his will.

THANK YOU! For everything.
You're very welcome! Was his first name Robert? Just wondering if the cards for Robert Wright listed in the 29th TX Cavalry might be him?
 
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